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Monday, November 28, 2011

Title: Peter is Just a BabyAuthor:Marisabina RussoPublication Date: November 11, 2011Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

In Peter is Just a Baby, the older sister relates all the things that she can do that Peter can't like using big words, learning French, and dancing. The story is cute as it leads up to Peter's first birthday and the sister hoping that Peter will now be able to do some of the things that she can do.

I love the way this book is illustrated. The characters are bears and the illustrations are soft. The pictures match the text very well and flow easily on the pages. Some of the pages have several smaller pictures illustrating different activities while other pages have one large picture. This makes the book more visually interesting than having one large picture on each page and it also allows for more activities to be shown. The book has really nice use of white space for the text as well. Some picture books are difficult to read if the text is placed directly over the illustration but this book avoids that issue completely. The text also flows well around the pictures which keeps the narrative moving visually.

Although there is a glossary in the front of the book with the French terms including pronunciation and definition, I didn't care for the use of French throughout the text. I took French in high school and am somewhat comfortable with the pronunciations but I can see the foreign words being a turn off to parents who are not familiar with the language. I know I don't like reading a story to my daughter if I am uncertain of how to pronounce some of the words. This is really the only thing that I didn't enjoy about this book though.

Interestingly enough, Amazon.com shows a shipping time for this book of 3 to 5 weeks, meaning it would not arrive until after Christmas, but Eerdmans Books for Young Readers shows a shipping time of only 3 days.

TweetNote: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

As part of a program through SheSpeaks.com I was sent two full-size bottles of Torani Flavored Syrups to review. I received Peppermint and Sugar-Free Brown Sugar Cinnamon.

I used the Peppermint syrup in coffee and hot chocolate and loved it! With the Torani syrup, I can have some of my favorite coffee shop drinks at home at a fraction of the cost. I also made a lazy peppermint mocha by making hot chocolate with strong coffee and then adding the peppermint syrup and some milk. I only wish I had some whipped cream to put on top.

Every so often I used to get a peppermint mocha or peppermint white chocolate mocha from a coffee shop but I would often ask for less of the peppermint syrup because I found it to be too strong. The peppermint flavor would overpower all the other flavors in the drink. This was not the case with the Torani Peppermint syrup at all. The peppermint flavor and sweetness were both light, enough to taste but not too strong. Check out some more reviews of the Torani Peppermint Syrup from SheSpeaks members.

I have not actually tried the Sugar-Free Brown Sugar Cinnamon syrup that I was sent and I will probably end up giving that one away to someone who uses sugar free products. The Torani sugar-free syrups are made with Splenda and we try to avoid artificial sweeteners around our house. In general, I don't like the way they make things taste but that is just my personal preference. The Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavor does sound interesting and Torani does offer it in the regular version as well as the sugar free. Check out what some other SheSpeaks members had to say about the Torani Sugar-Free Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup.

I am amazed at the number of flavored syrups that Torani offers! I always thought of the Torani syrups as being just for coffee drinks but the flavors they offer give you so many more options. They have light fruit flavors like Mango, Passion Fruit, and Peach which would be a great addition to lemonade or for making an Italian Soda. You can find an entire list of regular and sugar free Torani syrup flavors at http://torani.com/home/products. While you are there, make sure you check out the recipe section for great ideas on how to use all the flavors.

Torani flavored syrups are available at some retail stores such as Wal-Mart and major grocery stores. Amazon.com also has a large selection of flavors. The best selection of flavors is offered at Torani.com and you can use the discount code shespeaks to receive 10% off your purchase. (Note: I do not know how long this code is actually good for as I did not see an expiration date in the materials I received.)

TweetNote: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Grammar Girl's 101 Words to Sound Smart is filled with interesting words. Each one is clearly defined but not with the clinical precision of a dictionary. Instead, Mignon Fogarty provides interesting background on the origins of most of the words and gives concrete examples of how the usage may have changed over time. Each word is also accompanied by a quotation or two showing it being used correctly. These quotations were very fun to read and their sources ranged from journalists to politicians to popular authors and television shows.

Some of the words contained in this book were familiar to me but Fogarty pointed out subtle nuances of usage that I was unfamiliar with. Other words were completely new. While I do not see myself regularly interjecting these words into my reviews or other writings, I will be keeping this book on hand as a reference guide for those occasions when an extra special word is needed.

The one thing that I found to be missing from this book is a pronunciation guide for each word. While Fogarty is discussing the usage of these words in writing, I still like to know how the word should sound in my head as I am reading it.

TweetNote: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

My skin isn't normally too sensitive to cleansing and moisturizing products but pregnancy hormones have thrown my entire body out of whack and I can definitely tell a difference in my skin. So I was excited at the opportunity to try out some of the Burt's Bees line of sensitive skin products.

I have used other Burt's Bees products in the past and really enjoy them. Some things that I really like about the company are:

No animal testing

Natural ingredients whenever possible and clearly labeled

Environmental friendly packaging and manufacturing processes

I was sent a full size bottle of the Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser to try and I love it! I think it actually removes makeup better than the facial cleanser I have been using and it left my skin feeling super clean and soft. You don't need to use a large amount either so the 6 oz package will last a while. The cleanser is fragrance-free but it does have a scent to it. I found that it smelled strongly at first but the scent faded quickly. The cleanser has a very slippery texture which took a little getting used to but it rinsed off very cleanly. I wonder if the slippery feeling comes from the Yucca or Quillaja, both plant ingredients that assist in cleansing the skin. I love that all of the products in the sensitive skin line are 99% natural, hypo-allergenic, dermatologist tested, and allergy tested.

I also received a full size bottle of the Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin Daily Moisturizing Cream. While I don't like the moisturizer quite as well as I like the cleanser, it is a good product. The main thing that I don't like about it is actually the container. I find it difficult to get the right amount out. If I use a full pump worth, it is too much but it is difficult to only press the pump part way down. The moisturizer has the same scent as the cleanser but again it fades quickly. To me the moisturizer feels a bit sticky when it is first applied but it leaves my skin feeling soft once it has a minute to soak in. The moisturizer contains rice extract for moisturizing and aloe for soothing along with the cotton extract which is in all of the products in the sensitive skin line. I do wish that Burt's Bees offered a version of this with the addition of sunscreen. I like having moisturizer and sunscreen in the same product so I am not adding layers of products to my face each day.

Overall, I was very pleased with the products in the Burt's Bees Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin line. I have always found Burt's Bees to offer high quality products at reasonable prices. Have you ever used Burt's Bees products? I'd love to hear about your favorites!

I received these products from BzzAgent.com and will receive MyPoints for my participation in the Burt's Bees campaign. All opinions and experiences related here are entirely my own. Specific product links within this post are affiliate links.

TweetNote: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Although I read a lot of urban and paranormal fantasy, both YA and adult, the realm of angels was new territory for me. I'm not entirely sure if it is my lack of experience in this sub genre or just this particular book but I found Archon, the first book of The Books of Raziel series, to be completely confusing.

I never felt like I understood the world that Angela and the other characters inhabited. I didn't understand the rules, the prophecy, and even what was actually taking place at times. While it seemed that Benulis often provided details about the physical setting, the best mental picture that I could get was that everything was gloomy and falling apart.

I never connected to the characters either. I had trouble distinguishing the good guys from the bad guys even when characters were labeled angel or demon. It seemed that everyone was simply out to destroy the earth and rule over everything or merely wanted to indulge their own selfish desires. The true motivations behind the characters' actions were often hidden in the midst of the chaotic events and manipulation of others seemed to be the main goal. While Angela was the central character of the story I never felt that I understood her any better than any of the other characters. I simply didn't care what really happened to any of them.

It is also difficult to say what actually happens in this book. While the action and killing seemed to be non-stop, I didn't really see the point in most of it. At the end it felt like very little had actually changed for the characters who survived. The ending definitely has the feel of the first book in the series, as there are so many unanswered questions, but I'm not going to struggle through another book in the series to try to actually understand what is going on. If I had not received Archon: The Books of Raziel
through the Amazon Vine program, I would not have read all the way to the end.

Archon has an official release date of December 27, 2011 and is currently available for pre-order.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Friday, November 4, 2011

The first Friday of each month, I post about Swagbucks. That is because every Friday means Mega Swagbucks for searching (but I don't want to overwhelm people with reminders every Friday)! Haven't tried Swagbucks yet? It is super easy - simply use the Swagbucks search engine to do your normal Internet searching and sometimes you will be rewarded with Swagbucks which can then be redeemed for some great prizes. My theory is that if I'm going to be searching the Internet anyway, I may as well get rewarded for doing it.

My favorite prize is the Amazon.com gift card. I earned almost $200 in Amazon.com gift cards through Swagbucks last year which is how we paid for Christmas gifts. There are also tons of other gift cards available or you can redeem for various merchandise as well.

On Fridays, Swagbucks gives out more Mega Swagbucks (anything over 10) than usual which means you can earn your desired prizes even faster. The most I've gotten from one search so far is 59 Swagbucks. I'd love to hear if one of my readers finds a high value one today or any other day!

Swagbucks has added a lot of options for getting bucks on a daily basis even without searching. There are Special Offers, Daily Polls, Surveys, Tasks, Swagbucks TV, and games to play.

With all of these great ways to earn Swagbucks and get gift cards or other items that you really want, what are you waiting for?! Sign up and start searching :-)

Swagbucks links contained within this post are referral links and I will earn some Swagbucks if you sign up using those links.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

1-Gallon Pail - Shredded CoconutTropical Traditions is a company that I have ordered from in the past so I was very excited to receive their shredded coconut for review. I thought they would send the one or two pound bag but I received a entire gallon size pail! That is a lot of shredded coconut.

The first thing that I noticed when my husband opened the pail was how incredibly fine the coconut is. I had decided to try the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter No Bakes recipe listed on the Tropical Traditions site and the shredded coconut was perfect for this. The recipe is essentially the traditional no bake cookie recipe but uses coconut instead of oatmeal and coconut oil instead of butter. To be honest, I wasn't so sure about these cookies when I first tasted them. I like the oatmeal no bake cookies when they are still warm and gooey before they go in the fridge and set up but I didn't like the coconut version at this stage. Once I put them in the fridge and let them get hard, the coconut cookies were very tasty. The coconut is unsweetened and I have a feeling that this recipe uses a bit less sugar than I am used to so these cookies are less sweet overall. I'm sure they are a bit healthier than the traditional version though! My three year old was less than impressed with my first use of shredded coconut but I have a feeling it was probably a texture issue. My husband, his coworkers, and my mother all enjoyed having a special treat.

The cookies used 3 cups of the shredded coconut but I still have a lot left. Some other recipes I'm looking forward to trying are Pumpkin Coconut Muffins, Flourless Coconut Pancakes, and Banana Coconut Cake. I will need to make all of these when my husband is home though because I can't get the lid off the gallon pail by myself. It seals very tightly, which is great since the coconut has no preservatives or whiteners, but this makes the pail difficult to open and close tightly.

There are lots of other Tropical Traditions products that I would like to try as well. Do you have any favorite recipes using shredded coconut or coconut oil? Have you ever ordered from Tropical Traditions? I'd love to hear your experiences with coconut :-)

For more information about Tropical Traditions and how they produce their Gold Label Coconut Oil, check out this video:

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. Links to specific Tropical Traditions products within this post are affiliate links.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Title: Song of the NileAuthor: Stephanie DrayPublication Date: October 4, 2011Publisher: Berkley BooksWebsite:www.stephaniedray.com

Song of the Nile is the second Novel of Cleopatra's Daughter written by Stephanie Dray. The first book, Lily of the Nile, was wonderful and reminded me how much I enjoy historical fiction. When reading a series, I always wonder if the current book will hold up to the story told in the previous book (or books). I am thrilled to say that Song of the Nile retained the strengths of Lily of the Nile while allowing the characters to grow with their circumstances.

Cleopatra Selene is no longer the frightened, young girl who was dragged into Rome as a captive. She has enchanted Octavian and convinced him to make her a queen. Although her ultimate goal is to return to Egypt as queen, she is determined to take part in ruling the country given to her husband, Juba II. Their marriage stands on ceremony alone and for much of the book, the two are apart. When Juba travels, Cleopatra Selene reigns and when she is absent the country's leadership falls to the council.

Each time Octavian summons her Selene's hopes for being named Queen of Egypt rise and she positions herself for power. While her womanly innocence was stripped from her, she now uses her feminine appeal to manipulate circumstances to her advantage. All the while she longs to see her twin, Helios, again.

Song of the Nile is much more adult in content than the first book of the series but this fits the story as Cleopatra Selene grows into her role as female leader and mother.Dray again gives readers a compelling story with strong characters and fantastic writing. While she also provides a very realistic historic setting, readers must remember that this is a novel, a work of fiction, and as such Dray has taken significant liberties with the factual story of Cleopatra Selene as recorded by historians. In her Author's Note at the end of the novel, Dray acknowledges these changes and also where she has filled information into periods of time in Selene's life which have been lost to us.

I was excited to hear that the final novel of the trilogy has been picked up by Berkley Books although I am unsure if a release date has been announced. Here is a link to my review of Lily of the Nile.

I received a copy of Song of the Nile from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Bookstore links are generally affiliate links and I do earn a small amount for each purchase. Other affiliate links will be noted in the post.